Cut to Sunday May 10, when United were 1-0 up against a battling Wigan Athletic on the last day of the season. Sir Alex Ferguson put on Ryan Giggs to ensure stability and maintain the lead. Destiny unfurled itself yet again as Giggs scored the winner and sealed the Premier League for United.

Two important matches, two vital goals from two experienced campaigners who have been intrinsic to much of United’s success over more than a decade.

Paul Scholes may not have been banging in goals like he used to and for most part of the season has looked like a paler shade of what he used to be. The blurry eye vision problem that kept him out two years back threatened to end his career.

But the Ginger Ninja bounced back with a vengeance and had a cracking season last year, orchestrating attacks with consummate ease and leading United to a ninth title, ending Chelsea’s two-year dominance in the domestic league.

Now in the twilight of his career, few expect the Salford-born star to create and score like he used to, but his contribution in grooming the next generation of midfielders like Michael Carrick and Anderson will be invaluable. Few can doubt the positive effect the wee man has had on Carrick’s game and how Carrick revels in the United engine room with Scholes.

More importantly, Scholes will want to ensure that he has a telling contribution to make in the final considering he was serving suspension in the epic encounter against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp in 1999.

Similarly, Ryan Giggs may not leave defenders with twisted blood anymore but can still be depended upon to make that telling cross or use his experience and passing to telling effect. Nani, brought in as a long term substitute to Giggs, will definitely stand to gain from the Welshman’s wealth of experience.

They may be in the twilight of their careers but they should have a season more left in them, a period of transition where they will pass on their torch to the next generation who will hopefully lead United to greater glory and prove to be proud players who will uphold the legacy set by their illustrious predecessors.

As the Red Army marches into Moscow, it will only be fitting if the two footballing artists put the final strokes on a masterpiece of a career and deliver to Sir Alex Ferguson the holy grail of club football.

It’s wishful thinking but if I were allowed to script an ending, I would have Ryan Giggs make a trademark mazy run on the left flank and cross the ball for Paul Scholes to hit a trademark 30-35 yard screamer into the back of the Chelsea net. Now that would be destiny fulfilled on a grand platform, a fitting tribute by two footballing legends.